Electronic cigarettes are a phenomenon of gigantic proportions that has swept the cigarette world at an unbelievable pace. Consisting of a container, shaped like a cigarette, holding within an amount of glycol liquid which when heated, gives of a harmless vapor that is inhaled like cigarette smoke.

All of the habitual moves of smoking tobacco can be utilized, such as inhaling the vapor, then exhaling and the result is the same as smoking. Originally heralded as a means of getting off of tobacco, it has had some success with that premise.

The factor that has caused this product to explode and become a cult movement is the addition of various substances and flavors to be included in the glycol. For example, nicotine can be added in varying strengths, which is a positive switch from cigarette smoke, as you avoid all of the carcinogenic properties of tobacco.

Tobacco smoke contains over 200 cancer causing chemicals, as well as the cigarette tar that coats the lungs. Cigarette tar permanently destroys the alveioli in the lungs, which are the only way that oxygen gets into our bodies so we can survive. With ecigarettes, that doesn’t happen.

So for example, a person can get nearly the same satisfaction as he would in smoking tobacco if he uses an electronic cigarette with a similar level of nicotine. While nicotine has its harmful effects in our bodies, those effects are not nearly as harmful as tobacco smoke.

There are many more flavors that can be added to electronic cigarettes, such as chocolate, fruit flavors like cherry, lemon, lime, strawberry, blueberry, as well as menthol, pepperment, and so on. The e cigarettes can be purchased without nicotine as well.

Many people have been able to switch from tobacco laden cigarettes to the ecigarettes, and feel they have covered positive ground by giving up tobacco, and there is quite a good body of evidence that says that this is a good thing.

The fact that Lolliard, the tobacco giant purchased Blu Ecigs, one of the first prominent makers of electronic cigarettes, signals that the tobaccoless cigarettes are the real thing as far as marketing is concerned. RJ Reynolds has already introduced its own brand of electronic cigarette and is testing its distribution channels for evidence of its demand.

There is a move afoot to regulate these ecigarettes due to the fact that literally anything can be put into the vapor. Of course, critics say that when anything becomes successful, government wants to move in and ‘regulate’ because it is a good tax source. Insurance companies recently announced that they are underwriting ecigarette users as ‘smokers’ as far as their underwriting classification.

If a user of the electronic cigarette uses the pure glycol mixture with a flavoring of some sort, the risk of any harm coming to them is about as risky as walking out of their house on a foggy day.

This is a new industry that has gained popularity with many people, and it will be interesting to see just what direction it takes as it grows and more large tobacco companies enter the market.